If you share a bed with a duvet thief, you know how frustrating it is.

You’re all snuggled up under the covers and then BAM, a rush of cold air, a feeling of total betrayal and no more duvet.

They say necessity is the mother of invention, and in this case they’re probably right. Because some very smart people have come up with an invention that will stop your duvet thief partner from nicking your covers.

It’s called a cover clamp, it costs $24.95 (£19) and you’ll have to order it from America but it sounds like it might be worth it when it gets here.

It might look a bit BDSM-y, but it’s actually quite innocent. According to the website (and we haven’t tried it ourselves so we’re going by the reviews) it can withstand up to 50lbs of weight (that’s quite a lot) and won’t damage your sheets.

Other solutions, if you don’t fancy the cover clamp, would be to get two separate duvets while sharing one bed. A generous single each will look find when made up (you can always cover with a throw if you’re decoratively minded) but means everyone knows whose cover is whose.

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This is one of those moments when Bar Fox has to drop in for a second time in a week. Yesterday we told you about a new cognac bar you have to try, along with our new favourite cocktail – the Sidecar.

Today it’s about getting yourself some tickets for the Tequila & Mezcal fest so you can join us sipping slooowly on some choice agave spirits.

We will be there on Saturday 5 October – so if you’re coming down, give us a shout at hello@barfox.co.uk and come to say hi.

We have 10 sets of 2 tickets for the Friday 5 session and Sunday 7 October sessions up for grabs. Email us at hello@barfox.co.uk with why you need this in your life and, if you’re picked as a winner, we will be in touch.

Buy tickets for: Tequila & Mezcal Fest

Love Frida Kahlo, Margaritas and a tasty taco? Then this is for you.

Next weekend sees a slice of Mexico take over the Barge House behind the OXO Tower on The South Bank. A multi-story, action-packed 3-day celebration of the true spirit of Mexico without the 4,959 air miles.

There will be loads of agave spirits to taste, choice Mexican street food, 6 cocktail bars, edgy art and even an arty Mexican cinema room if you need some ‘cultural’ down-time…(or a siesta!)

Get involved in trying out George Clooney’s new Mezcal from Casamigos, making your own copita (traditional clay drinking cup) with Altos tequila or supping on the new tequila and tonic serve from Patrón and Fever-Tree. Or try Sekforde’s new Tequila & Mezcal mixer with Peloton de la Muerte Mezcal…a Mexican version of a G&T!

Grab your mates and do a Mexican bar crawl (and/or wave) around the pop-up cocktail joints from MNKY HSE, Ella Canta, Barrio bars, Cafe Pacifico and Chiringuito.

Sounds like thirsty work to us…well lucky they have 3 Mexican pop-up restaurants to soak up the drinking fun from Taqueria, Peyotito and Café Pacifico – serving up the likes of chargrilled chicken tacos, brisket tostadas, tamales, wild mushroom tacos and lashings of totopo chips with guacamole and salsas.

Each room’s got loads of art installations from the House of Mexico and live folklore dancers, Aztec ceremonies and Mariachis will be serenading people all day.

Here’s what the show’s founder, Eduardo Gomez, has to say to BarFox readers:

‘Growing up in Mexico City I never dreamed that I would be putting on the biggest Tequila, Mezcal and Agave spirit festival in Europe here in London. I started Tequila & Mezcal Fest five years ago because there wasn’t anything that I could relate to in terms of true Mexican culture…just a slightly ‘party time’ reputation with bad quality tequila, shots and sloppy burritos. This year I’m really proud to say I’ve got some awesome restaurants, cocktail bars and premium spirits brands on board for a real celebration of the true spirit of Mexico.

Some of my favourite bits of the show are the incredible artwork from the House of Mexico – loads of photography, crafted art, sculpture and even Mexican silver jewellery…this is a whole new element this year. Food is also hugely important to me (isn’t it for everyone?) with some of my favourite restaurants taking part, wait till you try the incredible tacos and have a go at making the ultimate guacamole.

Obviously the Tequila, Mezcal and agave spirits take centre stage, we have over 50 to try from some incredible brands from all over Mexico. People can do the Margarita masterclass and learn how to perfect their very own. Mine’s a Tommy Mezcal Margarita if anyone’s asking??

This is a true reflection of where contemporary Mexico is today, to say i’m excited is an understatement, hope you can join us!’

Well, yeah, we’ll see you there amigo!

WIN TICKETS 

We have 10 sets of 2 tickets for the Friday 5 session and Sunday 7 October sessions up for grabs.

Give us a shout at hello@barfox.co.uk with why you need this in your life and if you’re picked as a winner, we will be in touch. 

Tour operators are right now reporting a massive resurgence in bookings to Turkey – up 310% on last year.

Why? It’s simple really. Turkey offers some of the world’s most beautiful hotels, incredible beaches, friendly locals, value for money (the exchange rate is off the hook right now) and of course, really, really good food and wine.

While it’s popular all year round, Turkey has serious appeal for late summer sun – particularly alluring since the Indian summer we were promised seems to be a bit half-hearted.

Turkey in October still sees daytime highs of around 26c, with average temperatures around 20c – and with 300 days of sunshine a year, you’re pretty much guaranteed a vitamin D fix.

Here are 7 hotels to tempt you back to Turkey:

Lux* Bodrum – Sumptuous Aegean Chic

Sleek and modern, set on a private peninsula on the Aegean coast, this stylish boutique hotel feels special from the moment you step through the doors.

The LUX Bodrum Resort & Residences epitomises urban chic with a flick of the Hamptons – it is the kind of place you never want to leave. Looking out on to a glistening Aegean Sea, surrounded by lush hills and exotic gardens, this uniquely designed hotel oozes style.

With an Insta-worthy infinity pool, a private beach and an outdoor cinema there is no shortage of ways to spend your days.

Other offerings include a great spa, tennis, mini golf and activities like sailing.

Why Turkey’s holiday hotspot Marmaris is back on the map

Dining venue Stella serves international and Italian dishes, while a couple of bars serve an extensive menu of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

And there are special touches. The floor-to-ceiling windows in the lobby peer out across the sea to the horizon. Fun touches around the resort include a classic British red phone box which allows guests to phone home free of charge. When guests leave, staff carry out a ritual of pouring a jug of water onto the ground outside, to say ‘get home safely and come back soon’. There’s even a tree of wishes, where you can write a wish on a piece of paper and tie it to a branch

There are private villas available as well as standard rooms Each of the 91 rooms has a balcony or terrace and views of the garden or sea.

Perfect for: Style lovers and romance seekers  – this place oozes sex appeal

Room rates at LUX Bodrum for a Sea Front Room (entry category) are €200 in low season and €335 in high season. This includes breakfast. For more information or to book visit luxresorts.com 

D Resort Göcek: A Hidden Paradise in the Med

A sleepy and small resort town called Göcek is home to an extraordinary hotel. Fronting an archipelago of beautiful islands and a luxurious, yacht-dotted marina, D Resort Göcek is a truly luxe destination. An elegant boutique hotel set across ten design-led buildings, it feels incredibly stylish. Rooms are dressed in crisp whites and navy blue with white marble and whitewashed wood – the design is comfortable but chic.

Long a favourite of international film stars, Britain’s socialite set, and TV favourites like Sarah Parrish, this ultra private, secluded resort is beautifully natural, with a backdrop of dramatic forest-clad mountains and a white stretch of sand.  And you are virtually guaranteed sunshine – Göcek experiences an average of 300 days of sunshine per year.

Dining here is a standout and the resort’s Q Lounge is the star of the show. Located at the top of a hill with, this stylish night spot has incredible sea and islands views, Japanese-influenced cocktails and a menu of sushi, sashimi and robatayaki served in tapas style in a relaxed music-filled lounge environment. The food here is beyond incredible and the atmosphere electric. Truly the Mediterranean at its very best.

Perfect for: Those looking for a chic getaway far from the maddening crowds

Visit dresortgocek.com

Murat Reis Ayvalik – Unspoiled Perfection

For those seeking new destinations with an eye fixed on luxury and style, chic Murat Reis is a hidden gem. Located in the incredible area of Ayvalik – a part of Turkey that has long been a favourite destination for locals but little known outside the country, this stylish and inviting resort offers captivating views of the Aegean coast.

An emerging wellness destination, Ayvalik offers the highest oxygen content outside of the Alps; it takes a breath of fresh air to the next level. It feels like natural Turkey at its best – including over two million olive trees which flourish on the lush mountainside.

The resort offers a fully equipped gym, a lovely long stretch of white sanded beach and fantastic dining. One major highlight – their ‘sunset sauna’ is a stunning and spacious room encased in glass, just steps from the shoreline and with a front row seat for one of the loveliest sunsets in the world.

Rooms are decorated in crisp whites and blues – a modern take on a Hamptons vibe. And for spa aficionados, the luxury spa and fitness centre offers a heated open pool, sauna, steam room and Turkish Bath all with excellent sea and island views.

There are sunset wine tastings and inviting restaurants offering a wide selection of modern Mediterranean foods all fused with the best of beachfront living.

Ayvalik is reached via Istanbul with a 1-hour internal flight to Edremit Airport

Perfect for: Families with small children or couples looking to rekindle romance.

Room rates at Murat Reis start at €120 (approx. £106) per night. For more information or to book visit muratreisayvalik.com

Cornelia Diamond Resort – Stylish Crowd Pleaser

Cornelia Diamond Resort in Antalya is a dream hotel for luxury-seeking families.

For those whom bringing children along doesn’t necessarily mean sacrificing style – this place will feel ideal. Located in Belek, about an hour from the Antalya airport, the hotel is on an impressive scale – offering stunning views of the sea and a modern décor.

The facilities here are seemingly endless. Set on its own 27-hole golf course, the resort has seven outdoor swimming pools and waterslides all within a short distance of the sea – you are literally surrounded on all sides by beautiful blue water.

An all-inclusive hotel, there is 24-hour room service (perfect if the baby is fussy, or for a late-night adult feed) and nine à la carte restaurants, plenty to keep you full for the entirety of your stay.

An inviting pool meanders around the whole property and is scattered with whirlpools.

The white sandy beach fringes the property, providing plenty of opportunity for sandcastle-building, but there is also lots of other entertainment for older children.

The kids’ club is shaped like a pirates’ ship and there is a mini train that can be boarded for a tour around the grounds.

For those seeking shade, the indoor pool is enticing, along with the 12 aromatherapy saunas and steam rooms.

Perfect for: Families that want a place each member will love equally.

Room rates at Cornelia Diamond Resort start at approximately £370 per night, all inclusive. For more information or to book visit corneliaresort.com 

Indulge in Istanbul – True Ottoman Luxury

The only Ottoman-era palace on the Bosporus to run as a hotel, the Çırağan Palace Kempinski is one of the most incredible destinations in Turkey not to mention the world. Guests wake to jaw-dropping views of the Bosphorus — and not one but two continents, as the historical waterway divides Europe and Asia.

Lush, manicured gardens line the river leading down to a 33 metre infinity pool overlooking the Bosporus. All four of the hotel’s restaurants have balconies or terraces offering great views. The white marble spa features traditional Turkish baths, massages, and steam rooms and some suites feature marble hammam-style bathrooms.

The showstopper is the Sultan Suite, furnished with 19th-century antiques and plenty of gold and glitz. And a good night’s sleep is a certainty as guests can control the softness of their mattress on the vast four-poster at the touch of a button.

Those staying in the 11 Palace Suites can arrive by private helicopter are greeted by their own butler.

Perfect for: Those looking to experience the ultimate in elegance in Istanbul

Visit kempinski.com

The Bay Hotel – Peaceful Retreat on the Turquoise Coast

Set up on a quiet road away from the lively harbour town of Kalkan, The Bay is a peaceful retreat at the heart of Turkey’s beautiful Dalaman coast. Run by Fairlight Jones, the The Bay offers private villas, each with their own good-sized pool, dotted across the slopes of the leafy property, each one with a panoramic view of the ocean.

The Bay Hotel’s duplex villas, spacious and elegantly decorated, have their bedrooms on the top floor, with full-width picture windows and balcony offering a window to the Med without ever having to leave your bed.

Guests have a private beach club a short walk down to the water’s edge, as well as access by speedboat to Hotel Villa Mahal, a boutique hotel across the bay with exquisite infinity pool and sunbathing platforms. Even if you don’t go there by day, book for dinner, when the terraced descent to the water’s edge becomes the restaurant – voted the most romantic dining spot in the Med by Conde Nast traveller.

The Bay’s restaurant, with wraparound sunset views over Kalkan bay, has its own great menu created by the head chef and hotel manager Korhan, inspired by the Turkish dishes of their childhood with a modern twist. Mezze is a house speciality – all freshly made and so flavoursome – and the entire menu can be delivered to your private villa for lunch or dinner for poolside dining.

No need to deal with tiny mini bar wines either – the WhatsApp room service system is so slick, one message to the team and an ice-cold bottle of Anatolian white will be delivered to your door, along with a bowl of sensational olives.

Airport transfers are included, as is a luxury day on a gulet at sea – a sailing trip exploring the magnificent coastline, with swimming stops, lunch and tea on board – a Taste Of Turkey at The Bay’s lovely restaurant, water sport equipment, mountain biking and a personal assistant to have on hand day and night. You also get to keep the lovely white and grey cotton striped beach pestemal, which is a nice touch.

Incredibly friendly staff, nothing is too much trouble. There’s a reason why people come back to this hotel again and again.

Perfect for: Romantic retreat for couples craving peace in a beautiful setting – but with reach of a lively town.

Visit fairlightjones.com for more on The Bay. 

The Waterside – The Best of Barefoot Living

Sister property to The Bay, The Waterside, as its name suggests, is even closer to the azure waters of the Med. Set right into the cliffs looking out over the bay of Kalkan, this dramatic location offers a luxurious, romantic retreat. There are 9 suites, sensitively positioned for maximum privacy, 7 of which have their own pool, and a private seafront cabana with private beach club. Beautiful, ultra laidback, chic design but with perfect service – this is barefoot living at its best.

The bustling town of Kalkan itself is just a 10-minute walk away, and here you’ll find dozens of shops, restaurants, watersports and boat trips – everything you could possibly need to keep you busy, but if you just want to kick back and relax, this is the place to do it. Just like The Bay, staff work with WhatsApp, so if you want to lounge by your pool and order from The Bay’s menu, consider it done.

If you’re feeling more adventurous, Fairlight Jones, who manage the property, have a programme of activities, including gulet trips, tours of spectacular ruins and scuba diving.

If you’re lucky, you might even see a turtle – they often swim around these shores and have been spotted by many a guest at both The Bay and Waterside.

Just as at The Bay, airport transfers are included, as is the luxury day on a gulet at sea, Taste Of Turkey meal at The Bay (a short walk along the peaceful ocean path), water sport equipment, mountain biking and a personal assistant to have on hand day and night – and you can also keep your pestemal!

Perfect for: Incredible views, relaxed, chic, boutique villa living without lifting a finger.

Visit fairlightjones.com for more on The Waterside.

As I watch my daughter’s slightly clumsy interactions at the park, I hold my breath. Will the other child reciprocate, or are Lexi’s advances of friendship going to be shunned?

My little girl appears sociable, looks people in the eye and is bright.

However, she’s anxious, experiences sensory sensitivities, has an impaired attention span and can’t cope with surprises.

It took two years to diagnose Lexi with high functioning autism – and that was after she’d confused doctors, teachers and specialists.

According to Professor Francesca Happe, director of the Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre at Kings’ College London, autistic girls aren’t being diagnosed.

The professor claims that there are up to 200,000 undiagnosed autistic women in the UK, which may affect their mental health.

Her view is supported by the National Autistic Society (NAS), that reports far more boys than girls are being diagnosed with the condition, with three autistic boys to every autistic girl.

Like many people I assumed that autism was a male condition and although I had a gut feeling something was amiss with Lexi from early on, autism wasn’t my first thought.

She was a fussy baby and everything irritated her; the sun shining in her eyes, lying in her cot, being held, not being held, music, silence, being pushed in her buggy, not being pushed in her buggy. She screamed constantly – and what a scream it was, so high pitched that it could shatter glass.

By the time Lexi was one she wasn’t babbling and at 18 months she had two words: ‘hiya’ and ‘hot’.

Preschool was a disaster. Lexi found being with other children intolerable. She couldn’t cope with them being near her, didn’t know how to play and got anxious when spoken to and would lash out or shut down.

At home she had spectacular meltdowns that made me long for a typical toddler tantrum. She seemed incapable of following instructions and simple tasks such as getting dressed caused disproportionate distress.

I was so concerned that I visited my GP who simply said that it was typical two-year-old behaviour.

After discussion with preschool, I agreed that an Educational Psychologist should see Lexi. Following a three hour assessment, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) was mentioned but only as a possibility – and we still needed a paediatrician to confirm.

When Lexi finally had an initial paediatrician appointment The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) was used.

The problem with ADOS is that it was developed with boys and men in mind.

Dr Sameena Shakoor, a Consultant Paediatrician, explains that diagnoses are often made on the basis of ‘male presentations’ of ASD – things like poor engagement and minimal eye contact –that many of us, including SENCOs, teachers, medical professionals and parents, automatically associate with autism.

But as Dr. Shakoor told me: ‘Girls may use good eye contact and engage well with an adult in a clinic setting, but have more obvious difficulties with interaction with their same aged peers.’.

That is Lexi to a T. With adults she’s chatty, confident and very funny but with children of her own age she often withdraws and her interactions seem off.

Girls are often best assessed by a multidisciplinary approach, including a school observation by a skilled therapist who can pick up subtle social impairments rather than just relying on approved diagnostic assessments, and this is what we eventually did with Lexi.

She is one of the lucky ones. Her diagnosis means that she is in a specialist ASD unit within a mainstream school. Her teachers are aware of her difficulties and offer the relevant support.

There’s a sensory room she can access if she’s feeling overwhelmed, she’s doing a daily social skills group and has a relaxed school uniform and flexible start and finish time.

Even with a diagnosis, I worry about my daughter every single day, and there are some depressing statistics. For example, NAS research found that only 16% of autistic people are in full-time work.

One of the reasons I’ve fought so hard for Lexi is the potentially huge impact her condition might have on her mental health. I don’t want her to grow up feeling at odds with herself and not knowing why, and as Dr Shakoor reinforced, missing ASD in girls means they can be at risk of developing anxiety, depression or developing an eating disorder.

If you are concerned about your child, especially your daughter, the first step is to make an appointment with your GP.

It’s a good idea to take along a list of behaviours and characteristics to back up your thinking – I kept a rolling document for Lexi and by the time we had a second paediatrician appointment I had 12 pages full of evidence.

Don’t listen to people who say things such as ‘you shouldn’t label a child’. Diagnosis is key.

For us, it means we’re able to make allowances for Lexi’s challenging behaviour. I know that she isn’t being difficult by insisting she only drinks out of the pink cup, or that I park the car in the same space every day, or follow an elaborate bedtime routine.

I understand why she finds things so hard and by parenting her accordingly she’s thriving. She’s slowly making friends, her meltdowns, although still spectacular, are reducing and she doesn’t lash out anywhere near as much as she did.

Nobody likes to be different, but I believe that it’s important to be honest.

When Lexi was diagnosed her paediatrician said to me, ‘This doesn’t have to define her’ and that’s something that I stand by.

To me, Lexi’s autism is a part of who she is, just the way that she has blonde hair and is very tall. Her brain is different; not better, or worse.

She knows she’s autistic and finds some things ‘hard’ because of that, but I also praise her incredible ‘super skills’ such as awesome memory, observational abilities and sense of smell.

Autism won’t ever be a dirty secret to be whispered behind her back.

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There’s a reason they’re called the old days. It’s because they’re the old days.

Hasbro’s Game Of Life has been chugging along for 158 years in cheerfully unaltered form. You probably know the general idea behind the venerable old board game, from endless Sunday afternoons in the past or the dust covered upper reaches of your grandparents living room shelves.

Players navigate a route through an existence of unbroken security and linear progress, all the way from birth, to school, to university, to employment, to familial joy and retirement.

But somewhere along the way, it’s become clear that it no longer quite represents the reality for the great majority of people born after the last baby boomer flush.

So, what would you expect from a reboot focusing on millennial precarity and the crumbling of some of the old certainties that the old game represented?

Well, probably something not much different from what Hasbro have dreamed up: with players having to negotiate the same stages, only with the potential for ‘soul-crushing debt’ of up to $500,000 thrown screaming into the bargain.

It isn’t just student debt you’ll have to contend with. There are all sorts of other relatable mishaps to skirt, including paying rent, ‘dropping your phone in the toilet or calling in sick to binge-watch TV.’

It’s part of a wider series on the verge of release by the grand old board gaming house. There are four others set to join The Game Of Life: Quarter Life Crises as twenty-something friendly reimaginings of some other old faves.

There’s a Hangover-esque Cluedo number centering on the mysteries of the morning after after a Las Vegas night before. Or Mystery Date: Catfished, which lets players experience all of the horrors of online dating without any of the real online (or offline) consequences, alongside a couple of others.

But there’s just something about that quarter life crises that gets us right in the feels.

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A woman was reunited with her cat, who went missing six years ago, in the most incredible way.

24-year-old Alice Thomas was left heartbroken after her ‘best friend’ Ajay, who was four at the time, never came home one night in 2012.

Despite months of posting wanted posters on lampposts and missing websites she was never able to find her furry friend.

However, they were reunited six years later in an unbelievable turn of events.

Alice had spotted a Facebook post about a cat named John, bearing a striking resemblance to Ajay, who needed a new home.

She couldn’t get over how similar the cats looked; both white with specific ginger markings around the ears.

After several messages, it became clear John was actually Ajay now aged 10 and he had been living just four miles away.

Both shared a giveaway feature – they had no tail.

Mum-of-one Alice, from Sheffield, South Yorkshire, was reunited with Ajay on 26 September.

Astonishingly Ajay still remembered her and came to her call.

Speaking of the amazing moment Alice said: ‘I’m over the moon.

‘Words can’t describe the emotions I’m feeling I am also in complete shock.

‘It is absolutely crazy to think, like what are the chances.

‘It is fate we were meant to find each other again.

‘I knew straight away it was him and I’m sure he remembered me.

‘As soon as I shouted his name he came running over.

‘He was my best friend and companion so to have him back in my life is just incredible.’

The inseparable pair did everything together after Ajay was born at her family home. Alice fed him milk from a bottle and even taught him how to play fetch.

Alice was convinced she would never see Ajay again until this week when the family, who adopted him from the RSPCA, needed to rehome their lovable pet as they are moving 200 miles away.

Alice said: ‘When I first saw the post I couldn’t get over how similar he looked, with the same markings.

‘I commented saying this but mentioned my lost cat had no tail and would you believe it this cat hadn’t either.

‘I knew then it must be Ajay, it was a surreal feeling.’

Ajay needed his tail removed in 2010 after he fell asleep under a parked car and didn’t manage to wake up before the car set off, running over his tail.

Ajay is now back where he belongs at home with Alice, her partner Tom and their three-year-old son Ruari, and has settled in wonderfully.

‘I am so happy to have him back at home with the family it’s been quite the journey,’ said Alice.

‘I won’t be letting him out of my sight for a while that’s for sure.’

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Attention, Mean Girls fans: A Regina George doppelganger exists and the resemblance is uncanny.

Afterbreak Magazine tweeted a photo of 16-year-old Clarisse Miller, who had entered Miss Teen Namibia 2018 earlier this year, and came runner up.

As soon as it was posted, people on Twitter couldn’t get over the fact Clarisse looks so similar to Regina George, played by Rachel McAdams.

And, quite rightfully, they filled the entire thread with Mean Girls gifs.

@afterbreakteens https://t.co/T7Bkuyp7x9

—
Lese 👑😘 (@ilovelese) September 24, 2018

@abusamaran @ilovelese @afterbreakteens https://t.co/D0xldy4dP9

—
Tae💜 IDOL (@TakeMeToTheSky7) September 25, 2018

@afterbreakteens The whole of Namibia: https://t.co/BRsO8dMTTm

—
Lyanna (@SkyeJones89) September 25, 2018

@afterbreakteens She looks like Regina George. Wild.🔥🔥🔥

—
The Maggie Diaries (@mm_amukwiyu) September 23, 2018

@afterbreakteens Oh my God😱 I thought it was Regina George from Mean Girls before I read the caption

—
G (@_AmandaNdlela) September 23, 2018

Sure, she doesn’t look exactly the same as Regina – but in some angles you could totally mistake her for the Mean Girls actress.

And hey, it’s close enough that if she decided to go as Regina to a Halloween Party this year, all she’d have to do is put on some pink.

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I have been in a relationship for five years now and let me tell you, there is no difference between your relationship and mine.

Except for the fact that I’m 39 years older than my girlfriend, Angela.

I can hear the gasps – 39 years! You must be thinking that relationships like that only exist for famous singers, movie stars and high profile individuals.

But despite what you might assume, our relationship is not about sex or money. In fact, it is based on love, trust and respect.

Does that sound like your relationship? I truly hope so because that’s how it should be in all relationships.

I had never dated anyone as young as Angela before, and it never really occurred to me to do so.

I had been in relationships of varying age gaps – from people slightly younger, to people who were older. Age has never been extremely important to me,

Usually, like most men, I fell for the entire package.

I would meet people in bars or out dancing – we didn’t really have dating websites – and a relationship would blossom; much like it did with Angela.

I really didn’t notice the looks that we would get at the beginning, but Angela did.

Angela and I are actors who met on the set of an independent film. We chatted and interest began to develop – we texted occasionally.

I was attracted to her and I thought she was attracted to me too. There was definitely chemistry but I thought she was too young.

She was 21 and I had recently turned 60. In any circles an age gap like that was taboo – or so I thought.

One day she texted me and asked if I’d like to meet her for dinner, as she was going to be in my town.

I was flattered – what a boost to my ego – I had a young, talented woman asking me out. I’m not going to lie, I was thrilled, but nervous.

I told myself, ‘who could it hurt? She’s so cute and smart. One dinner wouldn’t matter. After all, she’d asked me out. It would be rude to decline.’

We had a wonderful time and that first date is forever imprinted on my brain.  Shortly thereafter a new romance began.

Love knocks when you’re least expecting it, and sometimes she’s only 21.

I really didn’t notice the looks that we would get at the beginning, but Angela did.

I’m sure you know the looks I mean – the ones where people don’t know you, yet have disdain for you, as if you were spray painting bad words on the side of a building.

One day, while walking with Angela on a public sidewalk, I noticed two women my age walking towards us. They were chatting and then one of them looked at Angela, and then at me, and shook her head.

I was just happy to be with Angela so I smiled in the face of such hate. Love will do that to you.

While Angela and I have largely been able to brush off the gawking, for some couples we know, it has destroyed them.

It’s so upsetting that the thoughts and actions of a few unhappy people can ruin something that makes two people so content and fulfilled.

With time, the feeling of being watched like a criminal does pass, but it would be naïve of me to say that our age gap is never an issue.

Sometimes it’s the littlest thing that can cause a bump in the relationship road and we are no exception.

I remember looking at a photo I’d taken of Angela and thinking, ‘Oh my, she is way too young for me. What am I doing? Should we end this now?’

Fortunately, we’re both very open people and I didn’t let this thought fester. I called her up and told her all about the photo and my concerns. She thought for a moment and suggested that we play it by ear, and wait to see what happens.

That was five years ago.

Being in a relationship like ours – one that is so often frowned upon – has thrust us into the age gap relationship world.

We were both curious about other ordinary age gap couples like us and were inspired to create a community online.

In 2013 we launched the May December Society, a private non-profit community for people of all races, religions and sexual orientations that are interested in age gap relations.

Our community is a blossoming one and Angela and I find ourselves speaking to and helping people every day. We’re not relationship experts but it’s nice knowing that we can help and be there for other couples that need our support.

And it’s not just other age gap couples we want to inform. We started a YouTube channel where we talk about our relationship openly and frankly.

In our opinion, this is the only way to end the stigma that age gap couples face.

Reading the comments on our videos, it is clear we are changing minds. People have told us they will no longer judge couples with a visible age gap and would even consider dating someone younger or older than themselves because they can see how happy we are together.

When two adults love each other, age shouldn’t stand in the way of them being together.

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Becoming a mother means accepting a lifetime of anxiety.

I didn’t used to be anxious. I used to just leave the house. Just like that. Just stroll out of the front door, only concerned with whether I had turned off my straighteners and if I had an umbrella.

But since having a baby leaving the house is a monumental effort. I might as well be setting off for the moon such is the level of my anxiety.

The ‘what if’s’ swarm around me like flies, becoming more and more outrageous the closer I get to the front door.

They start small; what if he’s cold? What if he’s hungry? They escalate; what if I spill hot coffee on his head? What if someone coughs in his face and gives him tuberculosis? And they quickly become down-right absurd; what if a getaway car embroiled in a high speed police chase mounts the pavement, hits the buggy and kills him?

No one warned me about this.

Mum friends shared the horrors of child birth and told me how difficult breast feeding is but no one prepared me for the unflinching anxiety that descends on you the moment you hold your new baby in your arms.

I see hazards everywhere and always fixate on the very worst case scenario.

Is the nurse going to drop him? Is his nappy on too tight, cutting off the circulation to his legs? Is he going to get his little hand stuck in the bars of his crib and break his wrist trying to get it out? And don’t get me started on cot death.

I read article after article about how to limit the risks and leap out of bed in the middle of the night to check if his little chest is still moving up and down.

I can’t hold conversations with friends anymore because I’m too distracted by threats looming at my baby from every angle.

I want to hold up a hand and yell ‘shut up about your job, can’t you see that vicious dog on the other side of the park that wants to drag my baby away by the leg? We need to get out of here!’

It is exhausting.

If I’m not imagining what might kill him, I’m worrying about his development and what he should or shouldn’t be doing according to the baby books.

If he’s asleep, I think he should be awake. If he’s hungry, I think I’m starving him. When the book says his eyes should focus on me, I actually googled ‘is my baby blind’ when they didn’t.

It feels as though a never-ending stream of questions are queuing up in my head, waiting for their turn to speak.

Is he too small for his age?

Are his feet cold?

Shouldn’t he be asleep?

Why can’t he grip his toy?

I hoped that I would only feel like this now because he is so young and vulnerable and having protected him inside me for nine months, it’s only natural that I’m conscious of the risks of the outside world.

You know, risks like the weather and that cuddly toy in his room that could launch itself into his crib and suffocate him. It’s normal to be anxious while he can’t hold up his own head, let alone fend off rabid dogs.

But as he gets older and his interactions with the outside world increase, so do the risks.

Soon he’ll be eating solid foods. He’ll choke on a grape. And die.

Then he’ll be walking. He’ll walk into the road. And die.

Then he’ll go to school. He’ll fall out with another child and get in a fight. And die.

One day he’ll fall in love and get his heartbroken. And die.

I just need to accept that anxiety is a very normal part of parenthood and is something that will never fully leave me. After all, my mum still reminds me to take a coat when I leave the house. I just need to get a lid on it… right after I’ve made sure my baby hasn’t thrown himself out of his cot.

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Autumn is here so it’s time to swap the fan for a heater, get out your cosiest blankets and slip into a onesie.

You might also want to add a few new touches to your home to prepare for the oncoming cold weather.

Good thing then that Ikea has just launched its winter 2018 collection which offers ‘warm and inviting’ colours, insulation – and those all-important fairy lights.

Twinkling LED lights, pendants, plush blankets, duvets, and rich velvet pillows in deep shades are all part of the collection and will make you feel like you just walked inside a winter wonderland.

You can even pick up a cinnamon scented candle to really get you in the festive mood as you hole up at home next to your gorgeous (and artificial) greenery, available at the Swedish superstore.

‘This year’s winter home is warm, inviting and just a little bit over-the-top with rich colors, plush materials, and some glowing gold,’ Ikea announced.

A spokesperson added that Ikea ‘has everything you need to prepare for the intense, relaxing, social, solitary, cold, warm period we call the winter holidays’.

The furniture powerhouse is taking biblical cues from the words ‘let there be light’ by offering new lamps, luminescent decorations including tealight lanterns, and even a five-armed candelabra.

And of course, if you’re going to get your home winter-ready, you want to show it off, and the new collection is perfect for hosting your friends and family over.

You can wow them with signature ARV plates and matching serving bowls with lids, a three-tier serving stand, and lots of other stunning tableware.

If you’re feeling generous, you can always buy the lot as Christmas presents for loved ones with festive gift boxes, wraps, and ribbons on sale now too.

Thankfully, it’s all delightfully affordable, with items costing an average £20 or less.

The whole winter range is available online now.

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Breastfeeding mothers often have it tough.

From being shamed for feeding their babies publicly, to being looked down on for deciding to breastmilk older children, some mothers are unable to feed their children without garnering unwarranted opinions.

So, tech company Elvie created what it said is the ‘world’s first silent wearable breast bump’ to aid expressing mums when they are out and about.

To mark the launch, they released a music video-style advert showing four women dancing in front of cows, carrying pumps typically used to milk the animals.

But, the video – released on the company’s Facebook page – received criticism – mainly from animal rights supporters who said it made light of the dairy industry, arguing cows can be forcibly impregnated and used for milk and meat.

Some felt that it also sexualised women, setting the breastfeeding movement back.

The lyrics of the song include lines like: ‘Yes, I milk myself, but you don’t see no tail’ and ‘In case you hadn’t noticed these are not udders, they’re my boobs,’ followed by a chorus which goes: ‘Pump it out, pump it out, I’m feeding them babies, pump it out, pump it out, I’m milking my ladies.’

Amassing over 70,000 views, the video received mixed reviews. One user wrote: ‘Strange and distasteful advertisement considering the horrors of the dairy industry and what beautiful cows have to endure for human consumption of their milk, not to mention the killing of the male calves.’

A brand spokesperson replied to the comment, saying: ‘We filmed this video on a family run farm where the animals are very well looked after. We can assure you their needs were put first throughout!’

Others echoed the same concerns saying: ‘Oh dear. Really poorly judged ad in the current dairy industry climate. Shame because the product is probably good but you’re totally alienating/putting off an increasingly compassionate and eco-conscious audience.’

While another person wrote: ‘Profiting by riding people’s ignorance on animal welfare is really distasteful. Cows are mistreated on a daily basis against their will, separating them from their calves and inducing them to produce milk for human consumption until the point they get sick or too weak to be economically viable? How can you liken that to a human mother willingly performing the act of pumping milk to feed her own child?’

While most users expressed distaste for the ad due to concerns for cows, one woman wrote about the sexual nature of it.

‘Brilliant idea, but again it seems to sexualise breasts. Surely this is what we are trying to move away from?’ she asked.

Elvie then replied: ‘We’re totally with you on that, we definitely aren’t sexualising breasts here! Quite the opposite – this is why we chose to work with a female director who is a mum and our lovely troupe of dancers were all mums too. We really wanted to capture the feelings and frustrations from the perspective of mothers.’

We’ve contacted Elvie for a comment.

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Mum Joy Evans, 35, tried everything she could to cure her son Finlay’s long-term eczema.

Joy, from Haltwhistle, Northumberland, tried GP-prescribed steroid treatments, emollient creams and over-the-counter remedies which failed to clear the itchy red patches for nearly a year.

Finlay had experienced eczema since he was just six-months-old and had to be kept covered to stop himself from scratching the red patches.

So Joy, a breastfeeding peer support worker, decided to try something she read about online – an organic soap made out of breast milk.

To her surprise, it worked.

The mum-of-four decided to give the treatment a try as she had ‘nothing to lose’ and used stale expressed breast milk from her freezer.

Joy was amazed when her now 20-month-old son’s eczema cleared after just one month of washing him with the breast milk soap daily.

‘I was a bit sceptical when I found it, but I hoped it would work,’ she said.

‘I hoped it would at least take the edge off or make him less itchy and uncomfortable. That was my hope, just to make him more comfortable, but it exceeded all my expectations.

‘We just got to the point of wanting to try anything. I had some old expressed breast milk that was too old for him to drink still in the freezer and just decided to give it a go.

‘One day at baby group he had been stripped down to his nappy because they were doing messy play. I just looked at him and thought, “it’s all gone”. I was amazed.’

She added: ‘This is the most successful thing we’ve found in treating his eczema. Nothing else we’ve tried has worked as well.’

Finlay now continues to use the soap as a source of treatment and nothing else.

Joy was so impressed with the results that she now plans on keeping a supply handy to treat any other skin conditions that Finlay may develop as he gets older, such as chicken pox.

‘It comes out like a normal bar of soap but a little bit softer. It’s like when you buy a really posh soap and they’re oil-based so they’re a bit squidgy,’ she explained.

‘They come out like that, which I presume is because of the fat in the breast milk although I don’t know the science behind it.

‘We just use that in the bath, no bubbles or anything else, just the soap to wash him from top to bottom.

‘What’s great about it is that it’s a free resource too. When you’re breastfeeding, if you do express it’s easy for it to get lost at the back of the freezer.

Joy said she understands that not everyone would be willing to try something like this and appreciates that what might work her son might not work for others.

‘I think skin is very personal and it’s about finding the right thing for you. But for us it has worked. It’s cheap. The key ingredient is free, so all the better’.

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Fraser the four-year-old poodle seriously slays in his Burberry-style doggie coat which he wears everywhere.

The black doggo doesn’t just have a kicking style sense though, he was given the suit after he lost all his fur due to a rare disorder.

Little Fraser went bald because of a condition called Sebaceous Adenitis, a rare type of inflammatory disease that affects the skin and glands of young and middle-aged dogs.

His owner Elaine, from Cheadle, Staffordshire, had the check patterned outfit specially created in the style of the Burberry fashion house.

‘He hates going out in the wet, I certainly wouldn’t like to go out with nothing on in this weather,’ she said.

‘Fraser causes a stir wherever he goes, especially with school children who laugh and say “look at that dog”.’

Elaine explained that the Burberry pattern is his new winter coat but he’ll get a lighter weight one for the summer.

And when Fraser goes out in the sun he has to have sun-cream put all over him to stop him from getting burnt.

He also has to be bathed every week with a special shampoo as well as treatment from the vet, but Elaine is sure Fraser is going to become fully bald eventually.

‘The symptoms first started to appear when he was nine months old and has been getting worse in the years since – the hair on his chest is starting to go now.

‘But he’s really happy and enjoys just laying on the bed and staring out the window.

‘He’s very playful but he just doesn’t like going out in the rain.’

The trendy piece was made by designer Aileen Perry, 54, from Scotland.

She said: ‘Fraser’s such a bonny wee dog but he’d lost most of his lovely black hair and was thoroughly miserable with the cold and wet.’

She can make up to two dog suits a day and charges between £63 and £110 depending on the size of dog.

Aileen now exports them as far afield as Europe, America, Canada, and Tasmania.

As Elaine is disabled, she was unable to measure Fraser for the fitting so Aileen put out an ad asking for able-bodied people to do the job for her.

A construction site manager eventually drove 45 minutes to help Elaine out. The town rallied together, liaising with the designer as Elaine was unable to do so.

They also put the suit on Fraser to make sure it was a snug fit.

Fraser now loves all the attention he gets.

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Mum Amy Weatherly was self-admittedly the girl never without jewellery, makeup, or fashionable clothes.

The 34-year-old blogger from Texas, US, was even voted ‘girliest girl’ at school and ‘most likely to wear heels’. Since having children though, she acknowledges she has changed.

But recently, when she bumped into an old friend, she was told just how much she has changed – by the woman telling Amy had ‘let herself go’.

Though Amy initially laughed it off, she questioned whether she really had.

‘The heck to the no you have not, girlfriend,’ she wrote in a Facebook post in defence of mums (and herself) who had, understandably, changed after having children.

‘I kept thinking about the words, they kept rolling through my head over and over that day and left me feeling like crap,’ she wrote.

‘I knew I didn’t look the same as I did before, but had I actually let myself go? Ten extra lbs and a messy bun would point to yes, but my heart screamed “the heck to the no you have not, girlfriend”.’

‘Truth is, I kind of like myself now, definitely more than I did before. I wouldn’t go back to that girl with the good hair for all the skinny jeans and skinny lattes in the world,’ she admitted.

‘I’m more confident now. I’m more sure of myself. I’m less likely to cry over a breakout or miss out on a night with my girls because of dirty hair. I’m less likely to slip into a mild depression because someone decided they didn’t like me or pile on the insecurity because I wasn’t invited to that party.

‘Why do we continue to use this phrase? Why do we continue to call out mums and grown women just because they don’t care about keeping up with the Kardashians and the Taylor Swifts and the Barbie dolls of the world any longer? ‘

‘You haven’t let yourself go. Stop saying that. It’s rude. It’s derogatory, and it’s downright absurd. You haven’t let yourself go, you have simply let go of the need to look perfect all of the time.

‘You have simply let go of stuff that isn’t important and traded it in for stuff that will leave a lasting legacy. You have simply let go of stuff that will last a little while, for stuff that will last for generations and generations and generations,’ she added.

Words to live by.

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I usually get one of two reactions to my work as a cremation provider – either total fascination or a horrified escape to the other side of a room.

There’s a lot of misunderstanding about funeral work, but it’s really all about people.

My husband and co-founder of Pure Cremation has been in funeral service for over 30 years, and I became a funeral arranger then a funeral director thanks to him.

Some do find it shocking that, as a woman, I have personally collected the deceased but, in reality, my job gives me the opportunity to make a real difference to people at a crucial moment in their lives, and even to delight them.

While many people are quite squeamish about the idea of the job, I assure you the jokes are worse.

When you get into the industry, I think you need to be prepared to hear, ‘That’s a dying trade isn’t it?’ or ‘You’ll never go out of business!’ – but it’s all part of the job.

We give simple, dignified care to the person who has died, including collecting them from their place of death and getting them to the crematorium, where they will have an unattended cremation.

Compared to traditional funerals, there are a few key differences with the type of cremation we do.

We never embalm the deceased – it isn’t necessary because of temperature controlled facilities.

We also use a metal detector wand to quickly check for any implants that the family, and even doctors, are unaware of – several types can be hazardous during cremation. For example, pacemakers explode violently and so need to be removed before cremation.

Understandably, human cremation is very tightly regulated, with each person cremated individually, and the handling of the ashes is strictly monitored to avoid mix-ups.

To make sure there are no mistakes, everyone we look after gets a wristband with a unique identifying code that’s also displayed on the coffin lid, any jewellery bag and the ashes container.

Once checked and identified, each person is gently placed, just as they are, into an eco-coffin, which is made from natural, untreated pine, and is much more dignified than the typical mortuary tray where the body is exposed.

When all the paperwork is complete, the coffin is taken to a licensed crematorium.

The vast majority of our families don’t attend the committal at all, but a few do.

On these occasions, there can be just a handful of people in the room, which can be very moving indeed, and I consider it a real privilege to be a witness to these goodbyes.

Some of them are very emotional, particularly if the deceased is young or the circumstances of the death were tragic, but I’ve seen laughter and gratitude as well as tears.

Once the coffin is transferred into the crematory – a superheated furnace with space for just one body – the cremation itself can take up to 2 hours to complete.

Afterwards, any metal parts such as as surgical pins and joints are removed, and the remains are processed to a fine powder to make the ashes that people are familiar with.

The final stage of our care is the hand delivery of the ashes to the family, so that they can be laid to rest somewhere special, and there’s often a memorial service with the ashes instead of the coffin as the focal point.

Cremation actually allows people to better celebrate someone’s true personality separately and the send offs can be very unique, like burning arrows and Viking costumes.

There are two particularly surprising and lovely things that I remember.

The first was watching two daughters dance and play air guitar to Spirit In The Sky in the crematorium chapel as they said a private goodbye to their dad.

I was also able to give a terminally ill lady some joy, just by agreeing to include the ashes caskets of her beloved dogs in her coffin. Sadly, she passed a few weeks later.

It is moments like these that you see how people respond to a tragic event, and this is uplifting and inspiring in equal measure. These instances make me love my job.

I see my job as looking after the living, through excellent and compassionate care of the dead.

We’re here to support families through a traumatic event, and we see first-hand the extra worry that comes from having no idea what their relative wanted.

I’ve always believed that talking about our own end and arranging our own funerals makes a positive difference when it matters most. And it can be a really liberating experience!

This job certainly teaches you about life and how important it is to make the most of it. I’ve also learned what a difference it makes to leave a few clear instructions for your funeral, so your family can feel they ‘got it right’.

The families we look after are doing exactly what mum or dad asked for: a no-fuss, low cost funeral that leaves more to spend on the celebration of life, or to a good cause.

While a qualification isn’t necessary in the UK for a job like ours, great attention to detail, superb listening skills, and problem solving – whether practical or emotional – are essential.

Pay-wise, our drivers get a basic salary of more than £18,000 and lots of overtime on top!

The administration team salaries start at around £24,000, both are considerably higher than traditional funeral firms, where the starting salaries for a funeral arranger can vary between £15K to £19K.

Admittedly, direct cremation is not for everyone.

However, we do make a real difference, offering a liberating alternative that’s perfect for anyone who doesn’t want a traditional funeral.

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The fattest dog in Britain has lost a bunch of weight and now faces a much brighter future.

Hattie, nicknamed ‘Hattie the Fattie’, was obese, weighing 47kg, due to a diet of burgers. According to staff at the rescue centre that took her in, she resembled a pot-bellied pig – and so they started a fundraising campaign which was launched to get her a tummy tuck.

However, she was put on a strict diet and exercise regime and has now lost half of her body weight – and now she doesn’t even need the operation.

Eight-year-old Hattie arrived at Gables Farm Dogs and Cats home in Plymouth, Devon, in February this year and was immediately put on a strict weight controlled diet.

Hattie’s weight is currently down to 23kg and she faces a much healthier, happier future.

Sadly, she still faces some obstacles. Hattie, a collie, has diabetes and is awaiting surgery to remove her cataracts, which staff believe will improve her well-being even further.

She is still looking for a for a home – but money raised through the tummy tuck crowdfunding appeal will go towards any new owner’s future vet bills.

Ruth Rickard, 51, who has worked at the centre for 10 years, said: ‘When I first saw Hattie I couldn’t believe it as she looked more like a pot bellied pig than a dog.

‘I just knew we had to try and help her. I take her home with me at night so I can administer her insulin injections, which she tolerates very well.

‘As the weight has started to come off we have found that she is very spirited and extremely loving, despite the fact we put her on a diet.

‘Since she started losing weight, she’s changed – it was like she had no real enjoyment of life before and was just existing.

‘She now spends her days in our reception, keeping an eye on the staff and customers, and as we watch her gain confidence and lose weight it makes me proud.’

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A fancy country house is on the market for £850,000.

It’s the dream home thanks to its supply of fruit, veg, and wine, meaning you’d never have to bother with a trip to Tesco.

Tuckerton Farm, near Bridgwater, Somerset, is self-sufficient in fruit and vegetables and has a hobby vineyard on the grounds.

There are also chickens for eggs, an orchard with cider, cooking and eating apples and electric can be sold from its solar panels to offset the electricity bill.

The rundown house was in such a bad state when current owners Barbara Pitkin, 60, and her wife Sue Frost, 52, bought it, that their surveyor told them not to go ahead with the sale.

But they ignored the advice and managed to turn it into a gorgeous home, which is set in seven acres of land with wildflower meadow, two golf holes, a lake, paddocks, a stream, an animal shelter and a foiling barn.

The couple took three years to revamp the home, which has a kitchen and breakfast room, a sitting room, a dining room, a drawing room, a studio, five bedrooms and two bathrooms.

There are a number of outbuildings, including an office, gym and stables.

It has watertight windows and restored floors (in case you’re interested in that kind of thing). Sewage pipes have been fitted and a new kitchen and bathrooms have been put in.

The couple also had solar panels fitted to heat their water and changed the Aga from oil to electric. The house creates more electricity than it uses, with the couple selling some back to the grid, offsetting their bill by about a third.

Outside there is a large polytunnel and a greenhouse where the couple grow all their own vegetables and the vineyard, which contains Rondo, Orion and Sirius grapes, is set to produce 200 bottles from this year’s harvest.

The house is currently on the market with Strutt & Parker, as Barbara and Sue now need to move closer to family.

Barbara said: ‘We moved to Tuckerton Farm in 2013 from Scotland. We were looking for a project house.

‘When we went to view the house, our surveyor made it clear that it needed a lot of work – so much so that he told us not to buy and didn’t charge us for his services! But something about it kept us intrigued.

‘It took around three years. We also had to settle the grounds – the surrounding land was all completely overgrown.

‘We have grown all our own vegetables – potatoes, onions, garlic, carrots, beetroots, cucumber, tomatoes, chillies, butternut squash, apples, pears, broccoli, brussel sprouts – as well as pear, plum, walnut and hazelnut trees. We are completely self-sufficient.

‘In fact we produce so much that I give lots of our veg to charity. We also get our own eggs from our hens.

‘Because I’m called Barbara, our friends take the mickey and call Sue Tom, after the character in the Good Life.

‘We sell electricity back into the grid and get paid for that. It means running things like our electric Aga is so easy.

‘The house is well insulated, so it keeps heat really well.

‘We weren’t looking for a vineyard but it cropped up when the agent was showing us around and instead of scaring us off it got us hooked.

‘It was planted by the previous owners. This year was the first time we produced a really delicious batch of wine.

‘Our grapes go to a master wine maker and he makes it for us. It’s now producing excellent grapes and it’s there to be utilised so it’s a fantastic opportunity for someone new to take over and get stuck in.

‘We have given most of our wine away to friends but it can easily be sold at farmers’ markets – a potential income stream for the next owner – and it only costs £2.10 to make a bottle so the mark up could be great.

‘It is also a wildlife haven, fantastic for outdoorsy types. We have a pair of swans who raised six cygnets on the pond last year, a pair of kingfishers, ducks, hens, badgers, wild cats, foxes, dragonflies.

‘Tuckerton Farm was supposed to be our forever home, but we need to be closer to our parents.

‘We are sad to leave and hope that a family inherits our hard work and loves the land as much as we have.’

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Welcome to Modern Etiquette, a brand new series where we ask the pressing questions of 2018.

Rather than telling you what to do with a salad crescent or which shoes are most appropriate for Ascot, we’ll be working out how to navigate shared houses, drugs, ex-boyfriends and that moment when you send the screenshot of the person you’re bitching about to them.

This week we’re tackling something that a lot of women live in fear of. The accidental period leak.

If you don’t have periods then you won’t be familiar with the total terror that comes when you stand up while on your period, realise that you’ve overwhelmed the efficiency of your tampon/pad/menstrual cup and left a stain on whatever furniture you were sitting on.

Best case scenario, it’s a dark fabric and you can get away with it. Worst case, it’s pale and as soon as someone moves the cushion you’ve used to cover it up, all will become clear.

So, you’ve bled all over someone else’s soft furnishing. What next? We spoke to Pink Parcel (the nice people who send you tampons and presents each month to make your period a bit more cheerful), because we figured that they’re experts in this arena. Pink Parcel told us:

‘Chances are, if you’re someone who has periods, at some point in your life you’re going to unexpectedly leak on a sofa / bed / chair / boyfriend. Let us let you in on a secret: you will survive this. While it may seem like the most mortifying escapade to happen since Janet Jackson’s nip slip at the Super Bowl, it happens to all of us.

‘The only thing we can do is start to normalise periods and open the conversation so they’re not such a taboo. Make a joke of it. Offer to have the sofa cleaned. Buy them a cake. Then move on and forget about it. You’re a human with bodily functions and girl, that’s okay.’

Basically, you should treat bleeding on someone else’s sofa in the same way you’d treat spilling red wine on it. Apologetic and helpful, but not abjectly mortified. Period blood isn’t disgusting or dirty, it’s a fact of life. And it’s not as if you’ve decided to ruin someone else’s upholstery on purpose.

It might be tempting to consider flipping the sofa cushion over to the other side and saying absolutely nothing. And we wouldn’t blame you. But if you can face it, being honest about what happened and offering to get out a bottle of Vanish or pay for the dry cleaning is the most mature, graceful way to handle this situation, and it has the added bonus of opening the lines of communication and helping to normalise periods and all of the sticky situations they can create.

Modern Etiquette is a weekly series. Next week, we’ll be asking what you should do if you like someone’s Instagram photo from 2016.

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Gin lovers, rejoice: B&M is selling an advent calendar filled to the brim with your favourite stuff.

The Twelve Gins of Christmas advent calendar, which has just been launched, features twelve specially selected mini bottles of gin, hidden behind twelve calendar doors counting down to Christmas.

The calendar contains various gin brands, such as Bombay Sapphire, Gordon’s Pink gin and JJ WHitely Elderflower gin for those wanting something a bit sweeter.

While the calendar itself – which comes in very pretty gin themed packaging – sounds amazing, the price is pretty good, too.

At £29.99, it’s an affordable calendar considering it contains twelve small bottles of alcohol – especially considering similar calendars can cost around £100.

So far, the calendar has gone down a storm with people on social media, with lots of people getting excited to buy it:

Given that the advent calendars are available in B&M already and there’s just over 12 weeks to go until Christmas, you could buy one now and ration your countdown to one gin a week.

That’s for those who want to be very sensible, of course.

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A photographer has travelled the world capturing amazing images of dogs in the most beautiful locations.

Polish pooch photographer Alicja Zmysłowska runs workshops and photoshoots for dogs around the world.

She has shot incredible photos of dogs dancing in the Northern lights, playing on beaches and even a dog overlooking a stunning Norwegian lake from a cliff’s edge.

Her project ‘Craving Miracles’ was a way to combine her fascination with travelling and her love for dogs.

Having grown up in a heavy industrial area, she was desperate to take her photography out of the city to some of the most stunning settings on earth.

Alicja, 23 said: ‘I wanted to photograph dogs in places that dogs have never been photographed before.

‘I wanted to find a way combine dreamlike landscapes with dogs as my main models.

‘I have always had the desire to travel to breathtaking places, and I didn’t want to limit myself to classic landscape photography that has already been done by so many.

‘I wanted to create something new, that is unique, original, something that was a true piece of me – a very personal project.

‘I just try to find beauty wherever I go.

‘And when I have been travelling, if I see something that inspires me, I photograph it.

‘I am a perfectionist and I will never stop trying to better myself and create better art.’

Alicja’s project first began three years ago, and has taken her to some incredible destinations, going to some remote places such as lava fields, glaciers, glacier lagoons, fjords and waterfalls, in Poland, Norway, Iceland and Alaska.

She has also run workshops for photographing dogs across Europe.

During the project she has photographed up to 25 breeds of dogs, including her own two.

Alicja runs her workshops for dogs where she trains them to pose for the camera and when they are ready, she snaps them with fantastic backdrops.

Alicja’s two-year-old Border Collie named Ciri and her 12-year-old Golden Retriever Kiara have travelled the journey with her, by her side.

She added: ‘My dogs are my best friends and the source of my inspiration.

‘Without them, none of this would ever have happened for me.’

Alicja explained that Kiara’s age and lack of training has stopped her from travelling to some of the further destinations, but Ciri went along every step of the way.

She added: ‘My two dogs are my best friends and literally my professional models.

‘When I got Ciri I knew what I want to do in future with her, so I taught her since she was a puppy to travel on public transport, taught her special tricks and how to pose for the photos.

‘She learnt really quickly and she has come with me on all my big expeditions where we have to hike long tracks for shootings in special locations.

‘She has now got so good that she offers her own poses for photos.

‘She loves the camera and when she sees me lining up she gets excited to find a right spot so she can pose for me in return for a reward like a snack or favourite toy.

‘For example, she hides behind a trees, jumps on rocks, goes inside a cave without me asking for it before waiting for me to get the shot she had idea for.

‘I wish I could take Kiara to as many places but she is getting old and can’t travel as much, but that isn’t to say she hasn’t been the star in many of my shoots.’

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